Use of the circular compression stapler and circular mechanical stapler in the end-to-side transanal colorectal anastomosis after left colon and rectal resections A single center experience

The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy of the circular compression stapler and the circular mechanical stapler in transanal colorectal anastomosis after left colectomy or anterior rectal resection. We performed a retrospective analysis of 10 patients with disease of the, sigmoid colon or rectum (carcinoma or diverticular disease) who underwent left colectomy or anterior rectal resection with end-to-side transanal colorectal anastomosis. A follow-up was planned for all patients at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery and the anastomosis was evaluated by colonoscopy at 1 year. In all patients an end-to-side transanal colorectal anastomosis was performed using a circular compression stapler (CCS group) or circular mechanical staplers with titanium staples (CMS group). The mean distance of the anastomosis from the anal margin was 6.4 ± 1.5 cm in the CCS group and 18.2 ± 11.2 cm in the CMS group. All patients in the CCS group expelled the ring after a mean time of 8.2 postoperative days. At 12 months colonoscopy revealed that all CCS patients had a satisfactory anastomosis with mean size of the colic lumen at the level of anastomotic line of 26.3 mm. In our experience the circular compression stapler a valuable alternative to the circular mechanical stapler for the creation of transanal colorectal anastomosis, in line with the relevant literature.